i'll be your strength
by OhHeyAl
Summary: "She doesn't want to go back home. All she wants to do is go back to their friends and brag about her record-breaking feat. But she can tell that Daichi is worried, even when he acts like he's frustrated with her and even though she's acting the same way, she could not be more grateful.." stories for daiyui week 2015 (day two: middle school / scars)
1. partners

**title** : won't let you surrender  
 **prompt** : day one / partners  
 **summary** : she's always been there to support him. now it's his turn.  
 **notes** : it's already the 11th here and i'm really excited for this week! it feels great to finally write about these cuties. the title for this collection and this chapter is from _I'll Be Your Strength_ by The Wanted.

* * *

Nobody really paid attention to the girls volleyball team. They weren't anything special, they didn't win any big games, and to be honest, they weren't that motivated either. Yui set out to be the captain to change that. They were going to win and they were going to get the same recognition as the boys did.

But the question remained. _How?_

She sits on the swing at the neighbourhood park after school. Her surroundings are cold and silent. The children have already been called home and the place is left all to herself. She wraps her uniform coat tighter against her body as she toes the dirt at the bottom of the swing. Today's practice had not been the best. They were out of sync and everyone kept blaming themselves, Yui most of all. How was she supposed to lead her team when she couldn't even get them to believe that they _were_ one? When everyone's minds were so set on immediate defeat?

Her cheeks are red and sore. She doesn't know if it was because of the cold or because of how many times she slapped them to get herself together. She needed help but she hated to say it, her smidgen of pride getting in the way.

The sound of chains rattling next to her shook her from her thoughts. Surprised by the sudden noise, she glances up to see _him_ there, bundled up as tightly as her with his gaze zeroing in on her face. She feels herself grow warm and she blames it on the sudden heat provided by the person next to her.

"Hey," he says. His voice neglecting to betray his purpose for being here.

"Hey," she says, softer, unusually unsure of herself.

"I stayed behind to watch your practice today…" he averts his eyes this time, which doesn't really make for a good sign.

Yui sighs and kicks up her feet, sending her a few feet off the ground then slowing to swing just slightly. "Admit it, Daichi. We were awful."

He whips his head towards her and stares at her with so much focus and passion beneath his eyes that she's almost taken aback. "Don't say that. Everyone has their off days. You'll find your rhythm."

"Sure, but it's been weeks, Daichi. The girls don't believe in their capabilities which makes me think _I_ don't believe in _my own_ and that just starts to reflect on everyone else and I just don't. Know. What —" she skids to halt, covering her school shoes in dirt. "To do anymore." Her whispered voice carries through the wind but it hits Daichi like a tidal wave. He watches her dejected expression, eyes closed, panicked breathing, and he knows he has to say something to reach her.

But he's never been too good with words. Aside from motivational speeches that were meant for his teammates.

And then it clicks. Maybe that's exactly what she needs.

Because Yui has been there for him through everything. Especially when it came to his _own_ doubts with his team. And then he knew just what he needed to say.

"Yui." She doesn't budge, doesn't even spare him a glance.

" _Yui_ ," he says with more force behind it. This time she lifts her doe-like eyes to his, but they don't shine like they usually do which causes his heart to ache, for whatever reason.

"I'm here for you." Her eyes grow wide, like she's finally waking up from her stupor. But she's still not speaking so he takes that as a sign that he should keep going. "You've always been there for me and I just want you to know that this _thing_ goes both ways. You've got my back and I've got yours." He takes in a deep breath, not quite sure how he should put his next thought to words. She's still staring and it's starting to unnerve him, but he loves watching the life come back to her eyes. So he gathers up his courage — _you're a team captain, Daichi, for crying out loud_ — and throws all thoughts of making a fool of himself out the window.

"We're…" he pauses, looks at her again and she nods at him to continue. Then he squares his shoulders, looking pointedly at her. His gaze does not waver in the slightest and neither does hers.

"We're partners. For as long as you'll need me, because I'll sure as hell always need you. I can help you through this, I've been in your position before. I know how hard it is to get people to work together. And it's natural to lose your team spirit after a loss, you just have to strengthen your bonds. Don't be so down on yourself, Captain." He sends her an encouraging smile and this time, the corners of her mouth lift into a brilliant grin. Thankful that he finally got to her, Daichi reaches across the space between them and offers her his hand which she takes with a grip that says _'Yes, I'm here.'_

"Partners?" he asks, the slightest uncertainty creeping into his voice. It's gone in a second when she answers back without missing a heartbeat.

"Partners," she replies, keeping a firm grasp on his hand and a smile that she saves especially for him.


	2. middle school and scars

**title** : i'll heal you if you're broken  
 **prompt** : day two / middle school + scars  
 **summary** : he picks her up when she falls and it all goes from there.  
 **notes** : the titles have been coming from "i'll be your strength" by the wanted. for some reason i was listening to it and they just stuck, heh.

* * *

"I told you not to go so fast!" She shrugs then winces as he lifts her leg, bending it at her knee to examine the wound that was just starting to bleed.

"But they _dared_ me, Dai-chan! You heard them," she says. Stubborn as always, she was never one to back down from a challenge.

He frowns at her as he shakes his head, still unbelieving at all the trouble she would go through just to prove herself. All throughout their childhood and until now, Yui managed to only make friends with boys. Boys that were, he hated to say it, pretty stupid most of the time. They picked on her for being small and weak but she just fought back harder.

This time though, she had outdone herself. Her bicycle lay on the sidewalk behind her, bent at odd angles, seeing as she had just crashed straight into a fence. She looks embarrassed at the very least, but still defiant. Still proud of herself because she'd ridden down that hill faster than anyone else.

His finger accidentally prods at a sensitive spot and he cringes at the yelp she tries to hide. Sighing to himself, he picks himself up from the ground and holds out his hands towards her. "C'mon, I'm gonna get you home."

Careful not to hit her knee against anything, she takes both of his outstretched hands and gingerly picks herself up only to stumble as soon as she's upright. She screws up her eyes shut at the pain, not noticing how hard she's gripping Daichi's forearms. He forces her to lean against him even as she tries to walk on her own.

"I can walk just fine, Dai-chan, thank you very much." She holds her chin up as she goes to pick up what's left of her bicycle. The chain had snapped and the frame was bent out of shape, she definitely wouldn't be able to ride it home.

"What are you doing? I said I was gonna take you home," he says, already swinging his leg over his own bicycle. He pats the metal seat behind him while staring pointedly at her. "Well? Hop on."

Yui casts one last forlorn glance at the wreck that was her bicycle. "I'm coming back for you," she whispers. Daichi almost laughs at how dramatic she's being. She gets on behind him, forced to ride with both her legs to one side to prevent her wound from hitting the back of his thigh. Her hands are firmly clasped on the metal seat beneath her but she grabs the back of Daichi's shirt as soon as he starts pedaling.

"Oh, sorry. I'll go slow," he says, throwing a glance back at her. Yui just shakes her head and urges him to keep going. She doesn't want to go back home. All she wants to do is go back to their friends and brag about her record-breaking feat. But she can tell that Daichi is worried, even when he acts like he's frustrated with her and even though she's acting the same way, she could not be more grateful.

Her best friend has never treated her like a fragile little girl. But he never treated her like one of the boys either.

When they were little, his mother used to tell him to hold her hand whenever they crossed the street, even when there were no cars around. When they were old enough to watch scary movies, he'd let her hide her face on his shoulder as she whispered _'Is it over yet?'_ every five seconds.

He waited outside her house so they could walk to school together, he found time in between classes to talk to her, he let her steal some of the food from his plate, and on days when they don't walk home together he always sends her a message asking if she made it home okay.

And most of all, he picked her up every time she fell.

* * *

Years later, their friendship remains at a standstill. Every moment shared together is a mix of missed glances and skirting around the fact that neither of them had loved anyone else as much as they did the other. Maybe it's just been too long and they let too much time pass between them.

But one day, Daichi catches a glimpse of a scar just underneath her knee as she twirls before him in happiness after winning a volleyball match. She trips over her own feet and he laughs at her stunned expression as she lands on the ground. Before she can even think of picking herself up, he's already got his palm facing up, waiting for her to take it. She settles her hand over his and hauls herself up. Now she's laughing too, the sound filling his ears and warming him to the bone, her brilliant smile taking over his entire field of vision.

Like a sudden jolt, he wonders how he has never told her how much he cares about her and he wonders if there could be anyone else _but_ her. She's been in his life from the very beginning and imagining some variant of a future without her in it just leaves a gaping hole where something's missing.

He's utterly consumed by his thoughts and doesn't notice Yui's incoming fist until it makes contact with his shoulder.

He grimaces in pain and she looks at him curiously. "Something wrong, _Dai-chan_?" And it's in the way her gaze pierces him and the way she uses that old nickname that tells him _No, she's the one for me_.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he just stares down at her and shakes his head.

 _Now how the hell did we end up here?_


End file.
